Elastic resistance exercise apparatus

ABSTRACT

An elastic resistance exercise apparatus having a movable clamp that attaches to a wall mounted cylindrical pipe or rod. The position of the clamp is continuously adjustable over the entire length of the pipe or rod by squeezing and releasing the ends of the clamp. The clamp then remains in the selected position. At one end of the clamp is an eye hook to which elastic resistance attachments may be hitched.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is the U.S. non-provisional counterpart of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/522,146 filed on Aug. 20, 2004 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety thereto. This patent application claims the benefit of and priority to said provisional application.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

People have used adjustable exercise units with removable elastic attachments for at least the last century. U.S. Pat. No. 680,556 granted to H. W. Wieland on Aug. 13, 1901 discloses his EXERCISER which comprises an adjustable length strap with a first metal unit having a support hook that clamps to the top of a door with an adjustable screw and a second metal unit (identical to the first metal unit) having a support hook that clamps to the bottom of the door with an adjustable screw. The strap also has a movable clamp to which elastic exercise attachments may be affixed. The movable clamp may be positioned almost anywhere on the strap. Over the years, there have been a number of portable elastic exercise units that clamp onto doors. Representative among these are described in the following U.S. Patents: PATENT NO. INVENTOR DATE TITLE 4,830,365 March May 16, 1989 Home Fitness Gym 5,571,064 Holm Nov. 05, 1996 Elastic Exercise Device With Segmented Handle 5,601,518 Weintraub Feb. 11, 1997 Portable Exercise Device 5,766,118 Conner Jun. 16, 1998 Apparatus For Exercising Abdominal Muscles 5,839,994 Elbogen Nov. 24, 1998 Portable Musculature Exercising Device 6,322,483 Rotella Nov. 27, 2001 Adjustable Strap And Band Exercise Device Mountable on Door

A number of similar devices are currently sold for mounting on walls. These are not portable devices. For example, Lifeline USA mounts a right angle rail on a wall. The rail has closely spaced holes into which two brackets are clamped. An elastic attachment is hitched to one of the two brackets and pivoted about the other. The brackets may be fastened to any of the holes, thereby allowing for non-continuous height adjustment. Prepak also sells a wall mounted rail unit that uses a single bracket with non-continuous height adjustment. Synergy Rehab Systems sells a wall mounted short pipe around which an attachment may be wrapped. This system provides for continuous height adjustment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application discloses a device that comprises a special clamp comprising two metal parts held loosely together at a junction by a rod connecting the two parts and held separated by tension from a spring. When squeezed together, the two parts pivot at the junction thereby opening the clamp for secure positioning on a cylindrical member. The rod-spring combination provides a mechanical bias for the clamp at the junction pivot so that the clamp tends to return to its original position once the squeezing pressure is released. Except for the spring and rod arrangement, the clamp operates very much like a clothespin. One of the two metal parts is larger than the other. A closed eye hook is permanently affixed to the end of the larger part. The device further comprises a metal pipe or rod that is mounted to a wall. By squeezing and releasing the ends of the clamp, the clamp may be positioned anywhere along the pipe or rod. Removable elastic attachments may be hitched to the eye hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the clamp. FIG. 1(a) shows the clamp in the normally closed position. FIG. 1(b) shows the clamp in the open position when squeezed at the points shown.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the component parts of the clamp. FIG. 2(a) shows the large part while FIG. 2(b) shows the small part.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the clamp attached to a cylindrical pipe or rod.

FIG. 4 shows the clamp affixed to a pipe or rod with an exercise attachment hitched to the clamp eye hook.

FIG. 5 shows how exercise attachments may be hitched to the eye hook and removed therefrom.

FIG. 6 shows how the device may be positioned to permit horizontal arm and shoulder exercise.

FIG. 7 shows how the device may be positioned to permit vertical arm and shoulder exercise.

FIG. 8 shows how the device may be positioned to permit leg exercise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the clamp 1. Large part 2 and small part 3 are attached together by a connecting rod (not shown) passing through rubber bushing 8. Spring 5 separates parts 2 and 3. The parts are free to pivot around point 4. Eye hook 6 is affixed to large part 2. FIG. 1(a) shows the clamp in the normally closed position. The ends of parts 2 and 3 are held together at confluence 7. FIG. 1(b) shows the clamp in the open position when squeezed at the points shown. Here, the ends of parts 2 and 3 are held apart at confluence 7.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the component parts of the clamp. FIG. 2(a) shows the large part 2 while FIG. 2(b) shows the small part 3. Parts 2 and 3 each have a curved end, 201 and 301, and a straight member 202 and 302. The straight member 202 is larger than straight member 302. In large part 2 only, another straight member 203 juts out perpendicular to member 202. A hole 204 to house eye hook 6 is drilled through member 203. Holes 207 and 307 for connecting the parts at their pivot point are drilled through parts 2 and 3 respectively. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a spring (not shown) is held in place by protrusion 205 and 305.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of clamp 1 attached to a cylindrical pipe or rod 9. The ends of parts 2 and 3 are held apart at confluence 7 by pipe or rod 9, but are held together around pipe or rod 9 by compressive force from spring 5 (not shown). The clamp is held tightly in a fixed vertical position on pipe or rod 9, but may rotate around the pipe or rod in the horizontal plane. An end of connector 10 is shown in the figure. Connectors 10 fit through hole assemblies (206 and 207) and (306 and 307) and through rubber bushing 8.

FIG. 4 shows exercise attachment 11 hitched to clamp 1 around eye hook 6 using an attaching hook 12. FIG. 5 shows how an exercise attachment may be hitched to clamp 1 by manually attaching hook 12 to hook 6.

FIG. 6 shows how the device may be positioned to permit horizontal arm and shoulder exercise, and shows a subject using the device in this manner. FIG. 7 shows how the device may be positioned to permit vertical arm and shoulder exercise, and shows a subject using the device in this manner. FIG. 8 shows how the device may be positioned to permit leg exercise, and shows a subject using the device in this manner. 

1. An exercise apparatus comprising a first member (302) and a second member (202) wherein: a) the first member comprises a first straight element from which a first curved element (301), having a cylindrical first concave and first convex face, protrudes from one end of the first straight element and from which a second straight element protrudes from the opposite end of the first straight element such that a plane that passes completely through the member can be constructed so as to pass through the first and second straight elements and the first curved element, and wherein: (i) said first straight element further comprises a cylindrical hole (307) drilled therethrough, said hole being drilled parallel to the plane; (ii) said second straight element has a smaller cross sectional area in a direction parallel to the plane than the first element; and, (iii) a cylindrical element (305) protrudes from the second straight element on the same side as the concave face, said cylindrical element being perpendicular to the second member and parallel to the plane; (b) the second member (202) comprises a third straight element from which a second curved element (201), having a cylindrical second concave and second convex face, protrudes from one end of the third straight element and from which a fourth straight element protrudes from the opposite end of the third straight element, and a fifth straight element (203) that protrudes from the third straight element perpendicular to the fourth straight element on the same side as the concave face, such that a plane that passes completely through the member can be constructed so as to pass through the third, fourth, and fifth straight elements and the second curved element, and wherein: (i) said third straight element further comprises a cylindrical hole (207) drilled therethrough, said hole being drilled parallel to the plane; (ii) said fourth straight element has a smaller cross sectional area in a direction parallel to the plane than the third element; (iii) a cylindrical element (205) protrudes from the fourth straight element on the same side as the concave face, said cylindrical element being perpendicular to the second member and parallel to the plane; and, (iv) said fifth straight element (203) further comprises a cylindrical hole (204) drilled therethrough, said hole being drilled parallel to the plane; (c) a rubber bushing (8) placed between the first and third straight members; (d) a connecting rod passing through the first and third straight members via the cylindrical holes (207) and (307) drilled therethrough, and also passing through rubber bushing (8); (e) a spring (5) connected on one end to the cylindrical element (305) protruding from the second straight member and on the other end to the cylindrical element (205) protruding from the fourth straight member; and, (f) an eye hook (6) firmly attached to the fifth straight member (203) and passing through the hole (204) drilled through the fifth straight member.
 2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cylindrical rod (9) about which the apparatus is clamped firmly in place in a variable position by the first (301) and second curved elements (201).
 3. The exercise apparatus of claim 2 further comprising an elastic member (11) having handles that is hooked onto eye hook (6) by a claim (12).
 4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein the number of handles is two.
 5. A method of preparing the apparatus of claim 3 for use comprising: a) squeezing the first (302) and second (202) straight members together open and close the clamping first (301) and second (201) curved elements; b) adjusting the position of the apparatus along the length of rod (9); and, c) hooking the elastic member (11) onto the eye hook (6).
 6. A method of using the apparatus of claim 4 comprising manually flexing the elastic member in such a was as to provide tension, thereby exercising the limb that flexes the elastic member.
 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising flexing the elastic member by holding both handles with two hands.
 8. The method of claim 6 further comprising flexing the elastic member by holding one handle with one hand.
 9. The method of claim 6 further comprising wrapping one handle around a foot, ankle, or shin, and flexing the elastic member using leg movement. 